NANAIMO – Vancouver Island’s largest indoor shopping mall, Nanaimo’s Woodgrove Centre, will be undergoing a $17 million renovation project, starting early next year. At a special ceremony September 24, Julia Dow, the shopping complex’s General Manager said the work will include an enhanced food court, guest services area, flooring, electrical and exterior upgrades.
“We are absolutely thrilled to announce a multi-million dollar investment in Woodgrove by way of a renovation, a modernization and a re-invention of our spectacular shopping centre,” she said during the ceremony.
“This multi-million investment in the property and in the community will see the centre refreshed with a brand new guest services in-line concept, a beautiful food court, new flooring, ceiling and lighting throughout and of course a fresh new coat of paint – both inside and out.”
The upgrade process has in fact already begun, with exterior painting at the shopping centre beginning at the end of last month, but the actual interior work is not expected to begin until early January 2016. Dow said the completed project will take until next November to complete.
Woodgrove Centre has been in operation for 34 years and covers more than 751,000 square feet and is home to more than 140 retail outlets. Taking part in the project announcement was Ivanhoe Cambridge’s (the owners of both Woodgrove Centre and Victoria’s Mayfair Shopping Centre) Paul Fairbridge who is a Regional Manager and Nanaimo City Councilor Ian Thorpe.
